(1) Field of Invention
This invention relates to a fishing apparatus for use as an attachment to any type of fishing line to provide a means to quickly disconnect the leader from the fishing line without removing the fish hook from the mouth of a fish and without the use of tools.
A back plate is attached to the fishing line. A front plate, to which the lure, bait and hook are attached or to which an additional length of line with lure, bait and hook are attached, is releasably secured to the back plate. When a fish is caught, the fisherman detaches by finger pressure the front plate from the back plate and replaces it with another front plate equipped with the accessories of his choice. After the fish has stopped wriggling the hook can be removed from its mouth without danger to the fisherman of injury from the hook. In practice, the fisherman would attach a back plate to his line and have a stock of pre-baited and lured front plates on hand to use as he caught fish. At a later time he could remove the fish from the hook with the front plate attached.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
One of the practical difficulties experienced by fishermen is the rapid removal of the hook from the mouth of a wriggling fish which has just been caught. A fisherman can be injured by the hook piercing his hand as he removes the fish from the hook. Although there have been various inventions of quick-disconnect devices for attaching the hook to the leader, each of these devices requires that the fisherman place his hands on the shaft of the hook in order to remove it from the end of the fishing line or leader. These devices do not eliminate the problem of handling the hook while it is in the mouth of a live fish.